Modular electrical assembly



April 6, 1965 P. J. GRAY 3,177,405

MODULAR ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR P/l/A/P JI GRAY ATTORNEYS April 6; 1965 J-GRAY 3,177,405

MODULAR ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 23, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR PHIL /P d. 6'24 Y mmrw ATTO R N EYS April 6, 1965 P. J. GRAY3,177,405

MODULAR ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 25 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORPH/A/P JIG'R/IY ATTORNEYS P. J. GRAY MODULAR ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY April6, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 25, 1959 INVENTOR Pym/P u- GearATTORNEYS United States Patent assignor, by mesne assignments, to TheSippican Corporation, Mattapoisetts, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Filed Dec. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 861,619 11 Claims. (Cl.317-101) The present invention relates in general to electricalinterconnection of complex and compact assemblies of electricalcomponents, and particularly to an improved conductor structure andfabrication method.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of applicants priorco-pending application serial No. 771,042, filed October 31, 1958, nowabandoned.

In a number of branches of electronics there is a necessity for buildinga great number of interconnected circuits in to a very small space. Insome instances these circuits must be formed into very compactassemblies having a high immunity to vibration and shock. It isdesirable also that large numbers of such assemblies be capable of beingpacked close together. Under these severe requirements the provision ofinterconnecting wiring and external wiring, without a great increase inthe size of the miniaturized assembly, is a very difiicult problem.While a great deal of emphasis has been placed upon electrical componentsize reduction in recent years to accomplish miniaturization, anequivalent emphasis has not been placed upon the size reduction of theinterconnecting wiring thereof. Accordingly, the result has been anincrease in the ratio of interconnection weight to component weight,inconsistent with the size and weight reductions made by theminiaturization of the components. It is one of the objects of thepresent invention to solve this problem.

It is another object of the invention to provide wiring arrangements fora complex assembly of electrical circuits without excessively increasingthe size and weight of the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide interconnecting conductorarrangement for assemblies of large numbers of electrical componentswhich structurally conform to the assemblies but do not excessivelyincrease their size and which actually increase the rigidity of theassemblies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved weldedconductor wafer or matrix employing a novel conductor attachmenttechnique.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofattachment of conductors to opposite sides of an insulating sheet.

The present application will be illustrated with respect to electricalassemblies of the type disclosed in application Serial No. 736,529,filed May 20, 1958, and now US. Patent No. 2,911,572, although it shouldbe understood that the invention is in no way limited to this specificapplication. The assemblies may be in the form of a rod of more or lessrectangular cross section. The components may be transistors,rectifiers, resistors, thermistors, capacitors, etc. packed togetherclosely so that there is substantially no room between them forinterconnecting conductors. My prior application disclosed the manner inwhich the connections can be made for placing each transistor and itsneighboring components in a desired circuit. According to the presentinvention interconnections between the different circuits andconnections from these circuits to external input, output and voltagesources are provided by means of wiring assemblies in the form ofsandwich-like conductor panels which may be connected to a side or endof the electrical assembly.

Each of the wiring panels may consist of a layer of ice substantiallylongitudinal conductors, another layer of substantially transverseconductors and an insulating film or sheet lying between said layers ofcriss crossing conductors. The insulating layer is provided with amultiplicity of spaced apertures at selected crossover points to permitelectrical connection between opposite side conductors. The film may bevery thin and the conductors may be either in the form of wires or verythin strips or ribbons. Although most of the conductors extend beyondone or more longitudinal edges of the insulating layer for connection tocomponent leads, some component lead connections are made directly tothe conductors by welding at the location of enlarged apertures in theinsulation film. The panels are prefabricated before being placed on theelectrical assembly so that the connections between intersectingconductors on the panel may be made under the most convenient conditionsand the panel, which is stiffened by these connections, can be easilyplaced in position on the assembly to permit the remainder of therequired connections to be made. After the component lead welding iscompleted the assembly input and output conductors are suitably groupedon exterior surface of the electrical assembly and the resultingstructure may be encapsulated in a suitable insulating compound.

The criss-cross conductor matrix of the invention is readily adaptableto other shaped electrical packages and may easily be conformed to theexterior contour of, for instance, a cylindrical package. If, whennecessary, the desired electrical interconnection of components cannotbe made upon a single conductor panel, a second similar conductor panelmay be placedthereover using suitable insulation therebetween. Again,Welded connection is made between selected leads about the periphery ofthe paneltand also to leads projecting through the first and secondpanels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent andthe invention itself will be fully understood from the followingdescription.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a picture of a semi-complete electrical component assemblyincluding conductor. panels before encapsulation;

FIG. 2 is a partial isometric view of a conductor panel employingribbon-like conductors; 1

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an electrical module showing upperand lower conductor panels in connected relation;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of another form of the invention asapplied to a slab-like module;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package employing singleended components prior to securing of a conductor panel thereto;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention showing an array ofadjacent component assemblies separated by aluminum sheets and mountedupon a heat conductive plate;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of two panels employing round conductors andseparated from one another by a third insulating sheet;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an encapsulating assembly showing therouting of the longitudinal panel conductors into a spaced terminalarrangement at opposite ends thereof;

FIG. 8a is a perspective view similar to FIG. 8 wherein ribbon-likeconductors are employed for module interconnection;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of an insulating sheet having printed thereonconductor placement guide lines and aperture locations; and

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of two units of the elec- Is. The panels ormatrices 12 and 14 may be located on one side of the assembly if desiredby employing components having lead terminations on a single side. Theassembly may consist of a large number of units arranged in a row so asto form a rectangular and rodlike cross section. Each unit may include apair of transistors 16 and 13 connected back to back and having emitter,space and collector electrodes, respectively B, B and C, extending fromthe top and bottom thereof (FIG; Module 1d also includes diodes Z0,resistors 22 and capacitors 24. The components are partiallyelectrically interconnected prior to applying the matrices 12 and 14 bywiring which is shown in FIG. 10 into circuits which may be of a generalform shown in FIG. 1 of the abovementioned patent. Component leads 26and 27 extend from diodes in substantially parallelarrangement andperpendicularly intersect the plane of the subsequently appliedconductor panels 12 and 14. The assembly 1G illustrated in FIG. 1 andpartially in FIG. 10 is formed in the manner fully described in PatentNo. 2,911,572.

The conductor panels 12 and 14 are formed separately prior to connectionto the component assembly. The twogconductor panels in this particularembodiment of the invention are similar mechanically, but differelectrically. Refering to FIGS. 2 and 7, each conductor panel consistsof a plurality of spaced conductors 30 and 32 of substantially parallelwires extending respectively transversely and longitudinally and havingan insulating film 36 therebetween. More than a single conductor watermay be required and accordingly, a second layer is shown composed ofconductors 36b and 32b separated by a similar insulating film 40. Aseparate insulating sheet 38, suitably punched with apertures, isprovided to electrically insulate the conductors on adjacent panels fromone another. The conductors may be in an oblique direction as at 34 andextend beyond the longitudinal edges of the insulating films 36 and 4t)and may be connected to the upstanding component leads 27 by welding at28. Electrical connections between the conductors on opposite sides ofthe insulating sheet is accomplished by welding through a plurality ofspaced apertures 46. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 9, the insulating sheet36 is provided with a multiplicity of spaced apertures, numbered 42, 44and 4d. Apertures 44 are provided to permit securing tab welds to bemade. The transverse conductor tabs 30a function to secure and preventshorting between adjacent longitudinal conductors 32, particularly atthe ends of the conductor panels. In like manner similar securing tabsmay be employed to align transverse conductors. The apertures 42 are ofa slightly increased size and allow the weldable connection between aselected component lead and a portionof a transverse or longitudinalconductor. Apertures 46 locate the welds which electrically connect atransverse conductor to a longitudinal conductor on opposite sides of'the matrix.

In FIG. 9 a typical insulating sheet 36 is shown having printed thereona wiring layout pattern of conductor guide lines 54. This conductorlayout can be conveniently reproduced directly to the insulating sheetin' one of any Well known photo transfer processes or printing methods.The desired location of each of the apertures 42, 44 and 46 is alsoindicated.

It will be understood that all vertically projectingleads may extendthrough one or more layers of cross conductors and insulation sheets tothe particular layer at which a connection is required. It is desirableto arrange the terminating connections on the one hand, and the.insulating sleeve as.

12. and above or to the left of the trafiic area there is a terminationarea.

The conductor matrix may be conveniently constructed by arranging thecriss-crossing grid pattern of the transverse and longitudinalconductors on opposite sides of the insulating sheet in any well knownjigging arrange ment. The required welds would then be made at theaperture 44 and 46. Upon removal from the jig (not shown), severing ofany unwanted transverse or longitudinal conductor portions can be made.This principle of removing unwanted conductors, is illustrated andeasily seen by reference to the securing tab portions 30a in FIG. 2which have been formed by the severance of the interconnecting linearportions of a previously attached transverse conductor 30. The conductormatrices 12. and 14 thus formed, are placed on the top and bottom of theassembly 10 and welded to the leads 27, B, E, etc. The longitudinallyextending conductors 32 and 32b are then suitably spaced and grouped ina predetermined connector pattern on a surface of the assembly and theentire structure is encapsulated with an insulating compound 52 into anelongated module 74 (FIG. 8).

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 8, and 8a, various shaped electrical moduleassemblies are shown; A slab-like encapsulated module 58 employs a sideby side transistor placement arrangement with abutting placement of theassociated resistors and condensers, etc. In this form the upper andlower surfacesv of the slab could contain the conductor matrices of thepresent invention. in this way a larger surface area is made availablefor the electrical interconnection. of all the component leads on asingle side of the module. Alternatively, this form of the inventioncould employ components having their electrical terminations at a singleend thereof, and in this case all of the upstanding vertical componentleads would project from the upper surface of the fiat module. Inanother module form, single ended components having leads 64 may beinserted through apertures in a tubular The invention may be formedabout the outer periphery of this cylindrical tube to similarlyinterconnect and provide the desired electrical circuitry between thevarious components.

Yet another module arrangement is shown in FIGJ6 wherein a plurality ofelectrical packages 7d are arranged side by side upon a corrugated heattransfer plate as. To enhance package to plate heat transfer, separators72 are employed between the heat generating units. These upstandingseparators may be conveniently made of aluminum and attached to the heattransfer plate 68 by welding along their lower edges.

Thus it can be seen that the invention provides an improved method forconstructing miniaturized interconnecting electrical panels which arereadily welded to modules of various shapes. The desired circuits areprovided in'an extremely compact manner by employing welded connectionthrough apertures in an insulating layervbetween transverse, oblique andlongitudinal conductors. The conductors so placed upon the insulatingsheet are held thereto by virtue of the interconnecting welds themselvesand no separate bonding of the conductor to the insulating sheet isrequired. The invention is equally adaptable to conductors having roundor rectangular cross sections and is not intended to be limitedspecifically thereto. i

It will be understood that the embodiments herein disclosed are intendedto be illustrative of the techniques and structures, which in accordancewith the invention, can be applied advantageously to many types ofelectrical equipment. It will be evident that many more conductors andconnections may be used than have been illustrated. Many variations andmodifications of the particular embodiments herein disclosed will beapparent to'those skilled in the art and therefore this invention is notto be construed as limited except as defined in; the following claims. a

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical Wiring arrangement for providing con nections to afirst assembly of closely packed electrical components having leadsextending in opposite directions, comprising a pair of second assemblieson opposite sides of the first assembly, each second assembly includinga plurality of layers each having substantially parallel conductors anda flexible sheet of insulating material interposed between adjacentlayers of said conductors, some of said conductors having portionsthereof removed, the conductors of one layer extending transversely tothe conductors of an adjacent layer, said insulating sheet having holesat the intersections of certain of the conductors on opposite sides ofthe sheet, and electrical connections between said certain conductorswithin said holes, means including said electrical connections forholding said layers of conductors and said insulating sheet in a rigidassembled condition, certain of said electrical component leadsextending through said holes and intersecting said conductors, andelectrical connections between said conductors and leads at theirintersections.

2. An electrical wiring arrangement according to claim 1, wherein aplurality of electrical component leads extend into said holes in saidflexible insulating sheet and have electrical connection to theconductors at said holes.

3. An electrical wiring arrangement according to claim 1, wherein theleads of the electrical components intersect the conductorsand areelectrically connected thereto beyond the boundary of the insulatingsheet.

4. An electrical wiring arrangement according to claim 1, including amultiplicity of layers of first substantially parallel conductorsextending in one direction and a multiplicity of layers of secondsubstantially parallel conductors extending transverse to the firstconductors and a plurality of insulating sheets separating adjacentlayers of said conductors.

5. An electrical wiring arrangement according to claim 1, including aninsulating compound encapsulating said first and second assemblies.

6. An electrical interconnection arrangement for a compact assembly ofelectrical components arranged side by side in contacting relation andhaving leads extending along a first pair of opposite sides in oppositedirections, comprising a pair of conductor panels, each panel includinga plurality of layers of substantially parallel conductors and aflexible film of insulating material interposed between adjacent layersof said conductors, some of said conductors having portions thereofremoved and others of said conductors extending continuously from oneend to the opposite end of the layers, the conductors of one layerextending transversely to the conductors of an adjacent layer, saidinsulating film having holes at the inter sections of certain of theconductors on opposite sides of the film, and welded electricalconnections between said certain conductors Within said holes, meansincluding said welded electrical connections for holding said layers ofconductors and said insulating film in a rigid assembled condition, saidconductor panels being mounted on said opposite sides of said electricalcomponent assembly with the leads extending into the holes of saidpanels, and electrical connection between said conductors and leads attheir intersections.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein each panel includes amultiplicity of layers of first conductors extending in one directionand a multiplicity of layers of second substantially parallel conductorsextending substantially perpendicular to the first conductors and aplurality of insulating films separating adjacent layers of saidconductors.

8. An electrical interconnection arrangement comprising, a flexible filmof smooth surfaced insulating material having a plurality of apertures,a plurality of first conductors extending longitudinally upon said filmhaving portions extending over selected apertures in said film and endportions extending beyond the edges of said film, a plurality of secondconductors on the opposite side of said film extending transverse tosaid first conductors and intersecting said first conductors atpredetermined apertures in said film, said second conductors having endportions extending beyond the edges of said film, first welds atselected aperture locations to electrically interconnect predeterminedfirst conductors with predetermined second conductors, a plurality ofthird conductors of short length overlying predetermined apertures insaid film, and a plurality of second welds connecting each of said thirdconductors to an associated conductor on the opposite side of said film,said third conductors acting to mechanically secure said associatedconductors to said film and to prevent shorting thereof.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 including, in combination, a compactassembly of electrical components arranged side by side in contactingrelation and having connection leads extending therefrom, said leadsbeing weldably connected to selected end portions of said secondconductors which extend beyond the edges of said film.

10. A flexible electrical interconnection arrangement according to claim10 wherein said film is formed into a cylindrical tube and includes aplurality of tightly packed electrical components arranged radially sideby side in contacting relation having connection leads extendingradially therefrom, said connection leads being welded in predeterminedfashion to said conductors upon said film.

11. Means for separating layers of crossing wires of a wiring panel fora miniature electronic assembly having junctions between certaincrossing wires, said means comprising an insulating film, said filmhaving designations of closely spaced small holes located at pointswhere junc tions are required between crossing wires, said holedesignations being located in correspondence with a reduced sizephotograph of the hole layout of a large scale model of said miniatureelectronic assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,892,146 12/32Harshberger 317-101 2,019,625 11/35 OBrien 317-10l 2,857,558 10/58 Fiske3l7-101 2,892,131 6/59 MacDonald 3 17-101 2,911,572 11/59 Francis et al317101 2,934,814 5/60 Williams et a1. 317-10l OTHER REFERENCES TapeCable Corporation, Engineering Bulletin No. 9, pages 1-6 (790 LindenAve., Rochester, N.Y.).

JOHN F. BURNS, Primary Examiner. SAMUEL BERNSTEIN, JOHN F. BURNS,Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No3,177,405

' Philip J. Gray It is hereby certified that error appears in the abovenumbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patentshould read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 33,

for the claim reference numeral "10" read 8 Signed and sealed' this 24thday of August 1965a (SEAL) Atlest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER v V EDWARD J. BRENNER Attcsting Officer Commissioner ofPatents April 6, 1965 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No. 3,177,405 I April 6, 1965 Philip J. Gray I I I Itis hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat entrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as Icorrected below.

Column 6, line 33, for the claim reference numeral 'lO" read 8 Signedand sealed' this 24th day of August 1965,

(SEAL) A Host:

ERNEST W. SWIDER l V V EDWARD J. BRENNER Attcsting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. AN ELECTRICAL WIRING ARRANGEMENT FOR PROVIDING CONNECTIONS TO A FIRSTASSEMBLY OF CLOSELY PACKED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS HAVING LEADS EXTENDINGIN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, COMPRISING A PAIR OF SECOND ASSEMBLIES ONOPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FIRST ASSEMBLY, EACH SECOND ASSEMBLY INCLUDING APLURALITY OF LAYERS EACH HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL CONDUCTORS AND AFLEXIBLE SHEET OF INSULATING MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT LAYERSOF SAID CONDUCTORS, SOME OF SAID CONDUCTORS HAVING PORTIONS THEREOFREMOVED THE CONDUCTORS OF ONE LAYER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THECONDUCTORS OF AN ADJACENT LAYER, SAID INSULATING SHEET HAVING HOLES ATTHE INTERSECTIONS OF CERTAIN OF THE CONDUCTORS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THESHEET, AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID CERTAIN CONDUCTORS WITHINSAID HOLES, MEANS INCLUDING SAID ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR HOLDING SAIDLAYERS OF CONDUCTORS AND SAID INSULATING SHEET IN A RIGID ASSEMBLEDCONDITION, CERTAIN OF SAID ELECTRICAL COMPONENT LEADS EXTENDING THROUGHSAID HOLES AND INTERSECTING SAID CONDUCTORS, AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONSBETWEEN SAID CONDUCTORS AND LEADS AT THEIR INTERSECTIONS.